Why does my left cheek keep twitching

Facial paralysis is a word that everyone has heard of. It mainly describes a person's expression without any major changes. Everyone thinks this is an exaggeration. But in fact, there are people in real life who suffer from a certain degree of facial paralysis, which is also called facial nerve paralysis in medicine. Patients with facial nerve paralysis find it difficult to complete even basic facial movements, such as frowning, and some even experience involuntary cheek twitching. So, what's going on with my left cheek twitching all the time?

Facial neuritis, commonly known as facial nerve paralysis (i.e. facial nerve paralysis), "crooked mouth" and "hanging wire wind", is a disease characterized by motor dysfunction of facial expression muscles. It is a common and frequently occurring disease that is not limited by age. The common symptoms are facial paralysis and eye deviation, and patients are often unable to complete even the most basic movements such as raising eyebrows, closing eyes, and puffing out lips.

Causes

There are many causes of facial neuritis. Clinically, it can be divided into central facial neuritis and peripheral facial neuritis according to the site of damage. The lesions of central facial neuritis are located in the corticobulbar tract between the facial nerve nucleus and the cerebral cortex, and are usually caused by cerebrovascular disease, intracranial tumors, brain trauma, inflammation, etc. Peripheral facial neuritis lesions occur in the facial nerve nucleus and facial nerve.

The common causes of peripheral facial neuritis are: ① infectious lesions, mostly caused by the activation of viruses lurking in the sensory ganglia of the facial nerve; ② ear diseases, such as otitis media; ③ autoimmune reactions; ④ tumors; ⑤ neurogenic; ⑥ trauma; ⑦ poisoning, such as alcohol poisoning, long-term exposure to toxic substances; ⑧ metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, vitamin deficiency; ⑨ vascular insufficiency; ⑩ congenital facial nerve nuclear dysplasia.

Clinical manifestations

The symptoms are often paralysis of the facial expression muscles on the affected side, disappearance of forehead wrinkles, widening of palpebral fissure, flattening of nasolabial groove, and drooping corners of the mouth. When smiling or showing teeth, the drooping corners of the mouth and facial crookedness are more obvious. The affected side should not frown, knit brows, close eyes, puff out air, or purse lips. When puffing out cheeks and whistling, air leaks out because the lips on the affected side cannot close. When eating, food residues often remain in the buccal space on the affected side, and saliva often flows down from that side. Because the lacrimal points are everted with the lower eyelid, the tears cannot be drained normally and overflow.

Most facial paralysis caused by facial neuritis is unilateral, and is more common on the right side. Most patients often suddenly find that one side of the cheek has difficulty moving and the corner of the mouth is crooked when washing their face or rinsing their mouth in the early morning. Some patients may have taste disorders in the front 2/3 of the tongue, hearing hypersensitivity, etc.

Peripheral facial neuritis caused by trauma can be divided into two types: early-onset (facial paralysis occurs immediately after injury) and delayed-onset (facial paralysis occurs 5 to 7 days after injury). Based on the early or late occurrence and degree of facial paralysis after injury, electrical excitation and electromyography examinations can be used to evaluate the extent of facial nerve damage and determine the prognosis.

treat

1. Non-surgical treatment

Principle: Promote early resolution of local inflammation and edema, and promote recovery of nerve function.

(1) For peripheral facial nerve paralysis, if it is caused by a viral infection, antiviral, nerve nutrition, glucocorticoids, B vitamins and other drugs can be used.

(2) To protect the exposed cornea and prevent conjunctivitis, eye masks, eye drops, eye ointments, etc. can be used;

(3) Massage: Use your hands to massage the facial muscles affected by facial paralysis several times a day, each time for 5 to 10 minutes.

(4) Physical therapy: commonly used methods include ultrashort wave, low and medium frequency electrotherapy, laser, drug introduction, etc.

(5) Acupuncture treatment.

2. Surgery

If facial nerve paralysis has not recovered after 3 months of conservative treatment, and there is no response in the facial nerve conduction velocity and facial muscle electromyography examination, that is, no potential activity, surgical treatment can be used.